A General History & Collection of Voyages and Travels ... - Nauticus

fowls, seeds, and roots. I believe, at first, he did not think I meant to give them to him; for he took but littlenotice of them, till he was satisfied they were for himself. Nor was he then in such a rapture as when I gavehim a spike-nail half the length of his arm. However, at his going away I took notice, that he very wellremembered how many pigs and fowls had been given him, as he took care to have them all collectedtogether, and kept a watchful eye over them, lest any should be taken away. He made me a promise not tokill any; and if he keeps his word, and proper care is taken of them, there were enough to stock the wholeisland in due time; being two boars, two sows, four hens, and two cocks; The seeds were such as are mostuseful (viz.) wheat, French and kidney beans, pease, cabbage, turnips, onions, carrots, parsnips, and yams,&c. With these articles they were dismissed. It was evident these people had not forgot the Endeavourbeing on their coast; for the first words they spoke to us were, Mataou no te pow pow (we are afraid of theguns). As they could be no strangers to the affair which happened off Cape Kidnappers in my formervoyage, experience had taught them to have some regard to these instruments of death.As soon as they were gone, we stretched off to the southward, the wind having now veered to the W.S.W.In the afternoon it increased to a fresh gale, and blew in squalls; in one of which we lost our fore-topgallantmast, having carried the sail a little too long. The fear of losing the land induced me to carry asmuch sail as possible. At seven in the morning, we tacked and stretched in shore, Cape Turnagain at thistime bore about N.W. 1/2 N. distant six or seven leagues. The Adventure, being a good way to leeward, wesupposed, did not observe the signal, but stood on; consequently was separated from us. During the night(which was spent in plying) the wind increased in such a manner as to bring us under our courses; it alsoveered to S.W. and S.S.W., and was attended with rain.At nine in the morning on the 23d, the sky began to clear up, and the gale to abate, so that we could carryclose-reefed top-sails. At eleven o'clock we were close in with Cape Turnagain, when we tacked and stoodoff; at noon the said Cape bore west a little northerly, distant six or seven miles. Latitude observed 41° 30'south. Soon after, the wind falling almost to a calm, and flattering ourselves that it would be succeeded byone more favourable, we got up another top-gallant-mast, rigged top-gallant-yards, and loosed all the reefsout of the top-sails. The event was not equal to our wishes. The wind, indeed, came something morefavourable, that is at W. by N., with which we stretched along shore to the southward; but it soon increasedin such a manner, as to undo what we had but just done, and at last stripped us to our courses, and twoclose-reefed top-sails under which sails we continued all night. About day-light, the next morning, the galeabating, we were again tempted to loose out the reefs, and rig top-gallant- yards, which proved all lostlabour; for, by nine o'clock, we were reduced to the same sail as before.[1] Soon after, the Adventurejoined us; and at noon Cape Palliser bore west, distant eight or nine leagues. This Cape is the northernpoint of Eaheinomauwe. We continued to stretch to the southward till midnight, when the wind abated andshifted to S.E. Three hours after, it fell calm, during which we loosed the reefs out, with the vain hopes thatthe next wind which came would be favourable. We were mistaken; the wind only took this short repose,in order to gain strength, and fall the heavier upon us. For at five o'clock in the morning, being the 25th, agale sprung up at N.W. with which we stretched to S.W.; Cape Palliser at this time bore N.N.W., distanteight or nine leagues. The wind increased in such a manner, as obliged us to take in one reef after another;and, at last, it came on with such fury, as made it necessary to take in all our sails with the utmostexpedition, and to lie-to under bare poles. The sea rose in proportion with the wind; so that we had aterrible gale and a mountainous sea to encounter. Thus after beating up against a hard gale for two days,and arriving just in sight of our port, we had the mortification to be driven off from the land by a furiousstorm. Two favourable circumstances attended it, which gave us some consolation; it was fair over head,and we were not apprehensive of a lee-shore.[1] "The water in Dr Lind's wind-gage was depressed 8-10ths of an inch at times."--W.